Rotary engine.



T. A. (Q1. B. CONNOLLY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, l9l4.

fllb Paenfed Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

T. A. 91. B. CONNOLLY. RTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION msn ocT. z. |914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. v,Patented Apr. 25,1916.

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THOMAS A. CONNOLLY .AND JOSEPH B. CONNOLLY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF (IIOIIII'UMIIBIA.l

ROTARY ENGINE.

specic'ation of Letters Patent.

' Patented Apr. 25, 190116.

T0 all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, THOMAS A. CON- NoLLY and JOSEPH B. CoNNoLLY, citizens of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful limprovements in RotaryEngines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention has relation to rotary engines, and particularly internal combustion engines and consists in thel novel construction, combinationY and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of an engine of typical construction. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View.. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of engine. Figs. 4, 5, 6 are detail views.

In carrying our invention into effect, we employ a pair of cylinders and pistonsarranged and adapted to rotate around a central axis and to perform their functions in sequence, the piston operating in -one cylinder, being operatively connected with the succeeding cylinder and the cylinders and pistons being arranged and adapted, both to follow the same circular path, and to so coperate that while one piston, which is connected to a succeeding cylinder, is making its stroke under pressure, the cylinder in which it is moving, and the piston connected thereto remain relatively stationary. The last named piston being the piston of the moving cylinder and being utilized therein during. the active stroke of the other piston and connected cylinder, to compress the charge in the moving cylinder for the next explosion which will impart movement to the last named piston, the operations being such that explosions and compressions are alternatively produced in the separate cylinders, in rapid succession and the two pistons with the connected cylinders caused to move one after the other in a continuous circular path, and to impart 4by proper connections, a continuous rotary movement to a suitable power shaft.

Fig. 1 of the drawing, illustrates as typical of our invention, an internal combustion or explosive engine having two straight, tangentially disposed cylinders, 1 and 1', respectively, provided with pistons, 2 and 2', having curved piston rods 3 and 3', the outer end of each piston rod being so connected to the succeeding cylinder that under explosive pressure, both will move together. As the cylindersand their pistons move in direct lines in relation to each other while lthe piston rods move in circular paths each piston rod is slotted at its inner end and coupled to a bail on the outer surface of its piston, so as to allow for the variations. The piston rodsv are adjustably connected to the radial arms 4, 4', respectively, of the hubs 8, 8'. rIhe cylinders are arranged to rotate or follow a circular path around a central stationary shaft, 6, upon which they are mounted by means of supporting arms or plates, 7, 7', and hubs 8, 8', eachcylinder with the piston of the other cylinder coupled to it, constituting a distinct independent rotary member. The hub, 8', also has loosely mounted on it a square toothed or double act-ing ratchet wheel or drum, 9, and each of said rotary memberscarries a double ended dog 10, and 10, respectively, engaging with said ratchet wheel, so that as a member rotates, it will, through one of said dogs, impart a corresponding rotary movement to the ratchet wheel, and as the movements of said members follow each other in rapid succession, the result will be a continuous rotary movement of the ratchet wheel. rlhe hub of the ratchet wheel carries a pulley wheel, 11, which is the medium for conveying power froln the motor. Upon hubs 8, 8', are mounted double acting, toothed wheels 12, 12', respectively and the frame of the engine carries two double end'- ed pawls 13, 13', engaging with the wheels 12, 12', so that the backward movement of a cylinder is prevented, during the eXplosion which propels its piston.

By the use of the double acting ratchet wheels and double ended pawls or dogs, the rotation of the cylinders and pistons may be reversed by reversing the positions of dogs 10, 10', and 13, 13', as under explosion the path of movement of -a piston or cylinder will be in the direction' of non-restraint, and where the movement of a cylinder is restrained in one direction as by the engagement of a pawl and ratchet, its piston and connected cylinderwill necessarily move in the opposite direction. The provision of reversible restraining devices here provides simple means for rotating the engine in either direction. The admission to the cylinder of the explosive gas and air mixture and the exhaust thereof may be effected in any suitable well known way, and the structure of the inhaust and exhaust ports leading directly to and from the cylinders need no detailed description. However, for the purpose of admitting the explosive mixture from a suitable source of supply to cylinders moving in a circular path, we have provided the following means: The shaft, 6, is bored centrally and leading' from its bore are two holes, 6', 6, communicating with separate peripheral grooves, 63, 63, in the shaft. Inlet ports, 14, 14', respectively in the wall of each cylinder lead through passages, 15, 15', in supporting arms or Webs, 7, 7', to holes opening in the face of the hubs, S, 8', 'of the supporting arms or webs, 7, 7'. Other passages, 17, 17', lead from different points in the face of each hub to the grooves, 63, 63, in the periphery of lthe shaft, 6. These ports and openings are so relatively located that while a free passage for the explosive mixture is afforded to one cylinder, it is cut off from the other, and so that as soon as a piston has reached the end of its stroke, and has the charge exhausted from its cylinder, the gas admitted to the other cylinder and compressed therein by the instroke of its piston, will be exploded and the vpiston driven outwardly.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, the cylinders are curved and the pistons of corresponding shape on their peripheries, so that both follow the same path. The arm, 7, of the cylinder, 1, carries an electric contact finger, 16, and the arm, 7', of the 'cylinder, 1, carries a similar contact finger, 16', the contact fingers being insulated from the arms, 7, 7', and electrically connected to spark plugs, 20, 20', mounted respectively in the heads of the cylinders 1, 1. Short contact sections 21, 21', are mounted respectively on the sleeves 8, 8', and these contact sections are electrically connected to an electric battery or generator andthe usual spark appliances, (not shown), the spark plugs, 20, 20', being also in electrical connection with said battery or generator so as'to complete an electrical circuit through them for the purpose of igniting the charges 1n the respective cylinders, 1, 1.

The explosive mixture under slight pressure, produced by any suitable compressor, is led to the bore of the shaft, 6, by pipe, 22, and when the passages, 15, 15', in the supporting arms of the cylinders coincide with the passages, 17, 17', in the abutting sleeves, S, S', the explosive mixture finds its Way by the passages, 14, 14', 15, 15", into the cylinders. This charging of a cylinder takes place when the piston of the cylinder isY at such position as to open an exhaust port, 23, or

cylinder, the

23', dependent, upon which cylinder and piston are in relative position to be charged, the discharge of the burnt gas and the simultaneous intake of a fresh charge being the same as in the ordinary two cycle engine. When one of `the cylindershas been charged as above described, the yother cylinder,by the relative inward movement of itspiston has had its charge of explosive mixture compressed,and as soon as such compression has been' completed, the contact finger, 16 or 16', coming into contact with the section 21, or 21', closes the electric circuit and produces a spark in the spark plug in the end of the cylinder, thereby effecting an explosion of the compressed gas and causing the piston to make an outward stroke, thereby through the medium of the curved piston rod and the arm connecting the same with the other cylinder, causing the latter to advance on its piston and to compress therein, the already admitted charge. The above described cycle of operations being repeated in rapid succession, thereby iinparts constant rotary motion to pulley wheel, 11, through the medium of dogs 10, 10', and ratchet wheel 9.

It will be observed that the cylinders and pistons Working therein perform their functions independently of stationary cams, e'ccentrics or other like instrumentalities for producing the inward stroke of the piston and that the inward stroke of each piston is relative only to the movement of its piston on one cylinder being 100 restrained while its cylinder is advanced by the movement of the piston in the other cylinder, and the cylinder being restrained while its piston is making its outward stroke. It will further be noted that the 105 explosions take place at indeterminate and unrestricted points in the circle of rotation, an explosion taking place whenever a piston and its 'cylinder are brought into the full Y compression position, this position coincid- 11o ing always with the period of contact of the fingers, 16, 16', with the sections 21, 21', and the resultant completion of the electrical circnitvthrough the spark plug.

We claim 1. A rotary engine having two separately movable cylinders with separately movable pistons and connections between the pistons of each cylinder and the other cylinder whereby the movement of a piston is com- 12o municated to a cylinder and the latter correspondingly moved and having means for causing stroke impulses at indeterminate pointsin the circle of rotation.

-2. In a two cycle rotary engine, a cylinder 125 and piston rotatable around an axis, and provided with means for insuring stroke impulse at indeterminate positions in the circle of rotation and means for reversing the direction of rotation.

3. A two cycle rotary engine comprising a cylinder and piston, arranged and adapted to independently rotate, with means for producing relative, reciprocal movement in 5 the direct line of rotation and for the production of stroke impulses at indeterminate points in the circle of rotation.

In testimony whereof We alx our signatures in presence oftWo Witnesses.

THOMAS A. CONNOLLY. JOSEPH B. CONNOLLY'. Witnesses IRA P. HINES, DsNNnTT S. JONES. 

